photo © 2010 Des Byrne | more info
Being Homeless
Being homeless means wearing clothes you did not pick out.
Being homeless means eating what they give you.
Being homeless means having to hear a sermon before you can eat.
Being homeless means being asked for your ID by the police for being in the park.
Being homeless means hiding everything you own so no one will throw them away.
Being homeless means spending most of your day with addicts and the mentally ill, even if you yourself are not.
Being homeless means people are surprised you have an opinion on the presidential election.
Being homeless means walking several miles to eat.
Being homeless means you hope the crazy street preachers show up because it is Saturday and the soup kitchens are closed.
Being homeless means eating meals in a soup kitchen no person would ever order in a restaraunt.
Being homeless means chicken hot dogs.
Being homeless means hearing people tell you you should be thankful for what you get (like chicken hot dogs).
Being homeless means rich church folks giving you second hand underwear.
Being homeless means standing in line for everything.
Being homeless means paying 25 cents to pee.
Being homeless means crying when it rains, because you know everything you own is ruined.
Being homeless means having to choose between staying in the shelter tonight or going to work today.
Being homeless means going to the day labor place at 3am and signing in so you can work that day and make $47.
Being homeless means paying $5 to cash that $47 check.
Being homeless means you are supposed to be thankful the county will let six of you take a shower each week. During the day. When you could be looking for a job.
Being homeless means being called ungrateful when you ask why only six, when there are 2000 homeless in the county.
Being homeless means wondering how you are supposed to get a job when you cannot take a shower.
Being homeless means being thankful when the temprature drops below 32 degrees, because it means you are allowed in the shelter that night.
Being homeless means trying not to ask yourself is there is really a difference between sleeping outside when it is 32 degrees and when it is 35 degrees.
Being homeless means people will judge you for smoking cigarettes.
Being homeless means being afriad to tell anyone where you sleep.
Being homeless means talking to your children on a borrowed phone.
Being homeless means being afraid to hope anymore.
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Oh my god.Iam looking at how shabbily I treat my things and how I grumble about having to clean up my house and not wanting to cook or “feeling like” taking a shower right now and realizing how many in my human family don’t have those luxuries.
I send everyone all the love, blessings and grace of my soul.
Being homeless and getting off the street leaves a dilemna in how to help those left behind and how to successfully go forward.
i really feel sorry for the people i see in the street
begging for food and shelter
Being homeless means you have been given a chance to see the world in a different light and make a stand. I am on your side.
Creative bathing, free email addresses and free internet at the library (hence the “creative bathing”) at least gives one access to communication so no one finds out how bad things really are and “survival guides” so one can avoid the most common endings when living on the street (or in a car.)
Homelessness is what happens when you get sick without insurance and can’t get help because you speak too well, bathe regularly and don’t have children. Homelessness is especially dangerous if you have a neuro condition that makes you fall asleep odd places, at odd times. Homelessness means knowing fear, helplessness and a sense of failure. It means screaming silently at the heavens, “This isn’t supposed to be my life.” It is the culmination of years of unemployment, having nowhere and no one to turn to and, despite intelligence and talent, never being given a chance to use them to take care of yourself and the pet you’d had for over 12 years which you had to give up knowing it’s too old for adoption despite having years of healthy living ahead of it. This is rock bottom and the only choices left are survive or wait to die- and it could have been so easily avoided if just one person was willing to offer hope. No one loves you when you’re poor, when you’re homeless- and the one being that loved you unconditionally for the past 12 years is gone because of your situation.
Homelessness is hearing the voice you hear everyday because no one will talk to you, your own voice. It’s having a conversation with yourself as a man in a suit purposely avoids walking by you or making eye contact, or a mother usher her children away from you because you pose a threat. Being homeless is being isolated outside of you homeless community and the occasional missions trip to pass out bagged lunches. It’s realizing that you are the reason there are no benches outside of the San Fran town hall. Homelessness is reality. It’s overlooked and dismissed. It lacks the greatest command, love.